Diploma of Agribusiness Management

Improve your management skills and gain a Nationally recognised qualification at the same time - without leaving you local district.

ABOUT THE COURSE

Our Diploma of Agribusiness Management course is designed for farm managers who would like to improve their business management skills and those employed in the Agribusiness sector.

There are no prerequisites however some course entry requirements do apply, see below for more details.

Start on the 1st of any month (not January)

Take up to 2 years to complete in a self paced online format

Spend just the time you need to understand the materials - not affected by other students working faster or slower than you need.

Your learning time includes not only the time you spend working on the course materials, but also your time for reflection and thinking about what you have learned as you go about your normal activities. We estimate the total learning time may be up to 20 hours per week for some students. Of course, this will vary according to your existing skills and knowledge.

COURSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

Be actively engaged in farming, or have ready access to, and knowledge of, a farm business for completion of assessment exercises.

Have access to a computer with at least Windows 7, Word 97, Excel 97, Adobe Reader and satellite broadband internet connection or similar. If you have a Mac computer, we suggest you talk to a computer technician about installing the Windows environment.

Completion of Year 12 or equivalent or be able to demonstrate similar literacy and numeracy levels. All students complete a literacy and numeracy test as part of our enrolment process.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL) & CREDIT TRANSFER

RPL is a process which assesses your existing knowledge and skills gained through work or prior study. You can do part, or all, of your Diploma by RPL. You can apply for RPL at enrolment or at any time during your course.

If you have done previous accredited training in any field we may be able to offer you direct credit transfer for units in this course. Contact RuralBiz Training if you think this applies to you.

STUDENT SUPPORT

You'll be supported all the way in your course. Your team will include:

TRAINERS

UNITS

The Diploma of Agribusiness Management requires the completion of 10 units of competency made up of:

Minimum of 8 elective units

Maximum of 2 units aligned to Cert IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma in AHC10 or other endorsed training package or accredited course – units to be relevant to job outcomes in Agriculture.

Units available by training are listed below, and additional units are being developed. Availability of particular units will depend on the timing of your enrolment and progression through the course. Students may choose any combination of units which meet their needs and conform to qualification packaging rules.

All units in the Diploma of Agriculture listed on training.gov are available by RPL.

COST

Your fee for this course will depend on the the availability of a subsidy from your State and your eligibility. To view a summary of all current course fees and subsidies please click here or contact our office for more information.

Payment Options

VET Student Loan

If you'd like to enrol in this course but can't afford the fees, you may be eligible to use a Vet Student Loan.

To be eligible for VET Student Loan, the Commonwealth Government requires that you:

provide a copy of your Australian senior secondary certificate, OR

achieve the required standard in an approved literacy and numeracy test.

The payment plan option consists of establishing a direct debit facility for payments deducted weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly from your nominated bank account or credit card, across the duration of your enrolment (up to 2 years). There is a $10 establishment fee and a 4% administration charge on all payment plans. The establishment fee is paid in your first instalment and the administration fee becomes part of your scheduled deduction.

You can make an upfront payment (of no more than $1,500) for your student fee while enrolling with any residual processed through the payment plan. Vet Student Loan students may make upfront payments prior to the census date for that unit.

Other costs: AHCAGB505 Develop a whole farm plan requires purchase of a Farm Map software program ($396 incl GST). Some state subsidies cover the cost of this software.

TRAINING DELIVERY

Self-paced online learning

Use resources and information in our online learning site (RuralBiz Online) to work at your own rate, at times that suit you. You will find resources to help you learn including videos, quizzes, print materials and links to other useful websites. This site also has a forum where you can post comments and questions for other participants and your trainer. It will also be the spot to upload your assessments, receive trainer feedback and track your progress.

Interactive online sessions

These are run in our Blackboard Collaborate virtual classroom where you work with a trainer and other participants. You will be able to see a presentation on your computer screen, hear the trainer and other group members, and ask questions or make comments. One of our previous participants described it as being like "two way radio with pictures" but it also has a whiteboard, chat function and many other tools useful for training. Some sessions are also recorded for listening back at a later date. These sessions are usually run on demand when there is a group of at least 10 participants to attend.

Printed Manuals

Many of our units use a printed manual, giving you time to explore the online learning environments while having familiar materials at hand.

Assessment

Your assessment tasks are designed for you to apply your learning to your own farm. In many cases, you produce a valuable resource for ongoing use in your own business - such as an e-Farm Plan which is easily updated or business, cropping or livestock plans.

Past students have found that they continue to use and adapt these plans well after they have completed their qualification.

You'll attend an AgForum in each unit - an online informal discussion with other students about day to day issues of interest in agriculture.

Your progress

At enrolment, we work with you to design an individual training plan that meets your needs and course rules, so you can complete your course within the 2 year time frame, or earlier if you want to progress more quickly.

We know that farmers have busy periods during the year depending on their district and type of farming. We also recognise that family issues mean some students will need time out during their course.

If you find you are unable to keep to your training plan, you can talk to your guardian angel and amend it as needed.

Remember, we're working with you to make your study possible!

BENEFITS

Key Benefits

Flexible - self paced online or online group delivery, fit study in with your life.

Everyone with an internet connection has equal access to training

Training is delivered to you - wherever you have internet access

No travel time or travel costs

Access to online materials 24/7

Access to the best trainers who are farmers themselves, not just trainers who can visit your district

Your very own Guardian Angel for support

Work in groups from a wide geographic area

Training can continue even if you are travelling or cut off by floods or other natural disasters

Assessments are submitted online - fast turnaround times

Student Card - purchase some items at discounted prices

PATHWAYS

Further Education or Training:

Further training pathways from this Qualification include, but are not limited to: